COLLEGE STATION - Junior Kelsey Bone took a winding route to Aggieland, and her impending exit from Texas A&M also will prove quite unconventional.

"I definitely took the road less traveled to get to this point," an emotional Bone said Wednesday of starting her college career at South Carolina and winding up at A&M.

The 6-5 center's next stop, sans a senior season in College Station? The WNBA.

"This was always the goal - every part of the plan was to become a professional basketball player," Bone said in declaring for the WNBA draft on April 15.

Bone, in making the rare leap to the WNBA as a women's basketball player with college eligibility remaining, said she's scheduled to graduate in May with a degree in university studies. She redshirted at A&M in 2010-11, when the Aggies won the national title, following her transfer from South Carolina.

She since has guided A&M to the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16 in 2012 and its second round this season, and a career highlight will be leading the Aggies to the Southeastern Conference tournament title their first year in the new league. Perhaps the most notable women's player to turn pro with a season of eligibility remaining was Candace Parker, who did so in 2008 after leading Tennessee to consecutive national titles.

The Aggies, with seven freshmen on a 14-player roster, closed out their season 25-10 following a loss last week to Nebraska at Reed Arena. Bone, who was second in the SEC in rebounding (9.3 per game) and tied for third in scoring (16.6 points per game), was named third team All-American by the Associated Press.

"There's not another player in that (All-America) top 15 who improved as much as she has in the last year," A&M coach Gary Blair said. "She put in the work in the summer, and she's worked hard in the gym. The girl is ready for the next challenge, although it would be to our benefit and (the media's) benefit if she was still around."

Blair said he intends to add two post players in the late signing period with Bone exiting the program a year earlier than projected. He's already signed 6-3 post player Jada Terry of Cedar Hill. Karla Gilbert, who will be a senior, also will be expected to step up in Bone's absence as a 6-5 presence in the paint.

"This group is in great hands, and we'll be fine," Bone said. "And I still say 'we' because I'll forever be a part of this program."